Clwyd and Conwy Rivers Trusts and Welsh Dee Trust – CCW and Keep Wales Tidy Funded Project
The Clwyd and Conwy Rivers Trusts and Welsh Dee Trust are developing a programme to tackle the problems of aquatic invasive weed spread within their respective catchment areas. There are three plant species that are being specifically targeted: Japanese Knotweed, Giant Hogweed and Himalayan Balsam. The latter will be the most challenging, but it is hoped by a constructive approach and a combined effort of the majority of interests, that considerable progress will be made. Over time, new developments may well speed up this programme but it is important from the outset to have a structured programme with an agreed method of approach, together with as many people as possible trained in the treatment and eradication process.
The Countryside Council for Wales, Environment Agency and Keep Wales Tidy are all supportive of the project and will be contributing to its development and advancement over the next few years. Angling clubs, riparian owners and other interests are becoming actively involved in the project and the programme is intended to assist, complement and make more effective the actions that are already being undertaken.
There are four key components to the programme initially:
1) There needs to be a nominated person from each angling club, syndicate, estate etc, who can operate as a point of contact to advance the Project in the respective locality.
2) There will be a programme of mapping of the catchment and detailing the areas and the extent of problem from invasive weeds within those problem areas. This database will incorporate ownership and the extent of ownership, while taking account of the requirements of the Data Protection Act. There will be a need to identify personnel that will be willing to assist the process of data collection in each main locality. A central co-ordinator will transfer this information to a central database that will integrate with other monitoring systems on the catchment.
3) There will be a need to identify the most suitable person/s to undertake the training course for herbicide treatment and who is also willing to co-ordinate an operational team to undertake the work in their own designated locality. Over the next 3 months it is anticipated that a team of people will be appropriately trained and become qualified to help fulfil the task ahead
4) A structured programme of treatment will advance according to the findings under 2) above and following discussions with appointed representatives and specialists.
The programme is intended to continue over a number of years as the scale of the problem is extensive and will be difficult to address. Similar initiatives are already taking place on other river catchments and consultation between Trusts to maximise the level of success in achieving the objectives, will be undertaken.
Already meetings with local angling clubs have taken place on the River Clwyd to address the key components listed above and, on the Welsh Dee catchment, letters have been circulated to many angling clubs and riparian owners to enrol interested parties into the programme of work ahead. It is anticipated that training will be advanced in April and a database developed in the spring with associated actions on the ground for actual treatment in early summer.